The agreement reached this week between the Trump administration and drugmakers to reduce the price of GLP-1 weight-loss medications aligns with congressional action to fight obesity, the House Ways and Means Committee said in a news release.
Under the agreement announced on Thursday, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly agreed to lower the prices for Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound when purchased through Trump Rx.
In June 2024, the committee approved the bipartisan Treat and Reduce Obesity Act. It has not been passed by the full House, and the Ways and Means Tax Subcommittee has reintroduced the legislation in the current Congress.
“The Trump administration is delivering on Republicans’ promise to lower drug prices and increase health care access for the American people,” Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., said.
“The Ways and Means Committee has been fighting to address chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes with better prevention and innovative, affordable treatments.”
Currently, Medicare Part D plans are statutorily prohibited from covering anti-obesity medications because of an initial lack of scientific understanding two decades ago, according to the committee. However, new medications have been approved in the last decade to combat obesity, some with remarkable efficacy.
The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act provides Medicare Part D coverage for individuals aging into Medicare who currently are being treated by an obesity drug, ensuring they do not lose coverage for their effective therapies. Without this coverage, 1.25 million patients are projected to lose coverage over the next decade as they transition into Medicare, driving up long-term health costs.
The legislation requires Medicare to re-evaluate its coverage of intensive behavioral therapy so seniors can effectively be treated through diet and exercise. It also requires the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission to report on the coverage of obesity drugs in pre-Medicare markets and how use among those populations may affect usage by enrollees to lay the groundwork for expanded coverage to more individuals.
“From holding hearings to approving legislation like the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act, we understand the importance of improving access to more affordable treatments for obesity and other chronic diseases,” Smith said. “This will vastly improve the quality of life for the American people and help address key drivers in the nation’s long-term health care costs.
“In fact, according to a report from the Joint Economic Committee, obesity is projected to cost taxpayers more than $4 trillion over the coming decade and lead to an additional $9 trillion in medical expenses. We stand ready to work alongside the Trump administration to tackle the rising cost of care in this country on behalf of patients and taxpayers.”
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